Worryingly, the macabre footage clearly shows young children, thought to be between two and ten, watching as animals are beaten to death.

Witnessing such brutal acts could be damaging to their mental state, according to Dr Mary Lou Randour, senior adviser for Animal Cruelty Programs at the Animal Welfare Institute.

She said: “Witnessing violence of any type, particularly animal abuse, is a traumatic event for a child, as it changes how the brain develops.

“Exposure to violence at a young age can alter neurons, the building blocks of the brain, negatively affecting capacity for emotional regulation, physical health, cognitive capacity, and behaviour control.